Rocky is itchy!! *Update on post #28!*

Rocky has begun to itch his back legs, and around his genital area. He is matting his hair, and removing some. I dont understand what happened??? He was fine, then all of a sudden bam!! I cant get him to the vets till monday, so what can i do to help him now??? He seems to have on the hairless areas, around his genital and lower stomache, little red spots?? Like a rash or something??? anyways, the problem is, rocky will not let me touch him, I cant even lift his leg to look closely!! everytime i go near the area, he acts like he is gonna snap! He has been this way since day one! I believe it is because of the arthritis in his legs. So how can I help him, if he wont let me look???

What can i do ???? Please help!:confused:

If he is itchy, Benadryl might help. I wouldn't know how much to give such a big dog. Did he get into something? Maybe like poison ivy?

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Originally Posted by chocolatepuppy

If he is itchy, Benadryl might help. I wouldn't know how much to give such a big dog. Did he get into something? Maybe like poison ivy?

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I have heard of benadryl as well, but was unsure about it. Poison Ivy? i doubt it, it i very cold here, was a high of 10 today!

I thought you could still get it in the winter. Not sure. Regardless, Benadryl might help the itch. My Lacey has taken it as well as my RB Mandy. They took 3 pills throughout the day and weighed 70 and 90 lbs. I hate to tell you to give him something but if he's miserable itchy,maybe it would help. Maybe someone else will come on and offer some advice.

benedryl is the best thing until you can get him to the vet, that is what i had to give my cockers when they would get stuff that put a rash on them, and the vet actually reccomends it, my cockers were at the most 35lbs, so i only gave them one.. hope he gets to feeling better.

Arghhhh...!!!! Whay does tis stuff always happen on the weekends??? I am going to try teh benadryl, and see what happens. It seems that the worst areas, are just inside his back legs, and the back of his rear legs.

The emergency animal clinic can tell you over the phone what dosage of benadryl to give a dog his size.

I didnt see this until this morning, so I am assuming you got the dose. Also with a large chambered heart breed especially, the dose really does need to come from a vet.
Let me ask you something- do you use carpet powders? Or shampoo on the rug, or even floor cleaners or polish. My shepherds several of them were allergic to " Shine bright" type mop on cleaners. If rocky was wet and laid on the floor, it could have gotton on his belly etc. Also I am sure you do not use cedar type bedding as that causes alot of skin allergies as well.
I am sure he will be just fine- and letting the vet be " the bad guy" at this point is probably a good idea.

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Originally Posted by borzoimom

I didnt see this until this morning, so I am assuming you got the dose. Also with a large chambered heart breed especially, the dose really does need to come from a vet.
Let me ask you something- do you use carpet powders? Or shampoo on the rug, or even floor cleaners or polish. My shepherds several of them were allergic to " Shine bright" type mop on cleaners. If rocky was wet and laid on the floor, it could have gotton on his belly etc. Also I am sure you do not use cedar type bedding as that causes alot of skin allergies as well.
I am sure he will be just fine- and letting the vet be " the bad guy" at this point is probably a good idea.

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I have not given him any benadryl yet, i am just not sure about it. I have been using anti-itch sprays which seem to be helping some. I have wooden floors, and concrete. so no carpet shampoos here. no cedar bedding either. they spend most of their time downstairs in the basement, as that is where i spend all of my time, as we are still working on the upstairs. i was thinking maybe dry skin, as we have a woodstove, but wouldnt that effect, more than just his back leg area? I tried last night to have hubby distract him, as i ried to lift that huge fluffy tail to get a look at his back legs, adn all i can see is wet fur, where he has been licking.
the only things that we have done since Rocky has been here, is treated with frontline, been bathed, gone to vet for his Rabies vac.. other than that, nothing has changed in the 3 weeks since he has been here. he sleeps on the same bed, I havent used any chemicals on the floor. I am just lost??

Well frontline doesnt cause this and unless you used a flea shampoo, which I know you didnt, that doesnt make any sense either as far as a reaction. I am lost as well.. let me know what the vet says.. hmmm..
If he was mostly a outside dog, coming in with a woodstove ( I know because I have one) I put water on the stove in a woodstove cast iron pot.. Maybe the excessive licking just aggrevated it..

here are some pics of what i could get him to let me get at, with excessive scrating and lovin. not sure if they will help, but maybe.
a shot of his back legs, nothing but wet fur.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...s/100_5088.jpg
between his legs
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...s/100_5117.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...s/100_5118.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...s/100_5125.jpg
here you can see the tiny red spots on his skin
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...s/100_5121.jpg

If it wasnt raw in the skin- I would say spray some bitter apple- but it does contain alcohol, and it would burn.. I am sorry- but I just have no clue.. But I am sure the vet will- if nothing else treatment to get rid of the irratation.
Femka licks the inside of her front legs- after healed up, I put a little bitter apple. I also noticed she does this when she feels stressed.

You washed him at home right? That may be the start of hotspots because of the moisture that was trapped in his coat. Unless you have a forced air dryer there's no way to properly dry such a long thick coat at home. Nebo got hot spots when I'd let him swim because I didn't have a dryer at home to get out all the moisture, trust me, towel drying is not sufficient even it is a warm day. Hope Rocky gets feeling better soon.

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Originally Posted by wolf_Q

You washed him at home right? That may be the start of hotspots because of the moisture that was trapped in his coat. Unless you have a forced air dryer there's no way to properly dry such a long thick coat at home. Nebo got hot spots when I'd let him swim because I didn't have a dryer at home to get out all the moisture, trust me, towel drying is not sufficient even it is a warm day. Hope Rocky gets feeling better soon.

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Ahh- you may be totally right- my collies were like that. The borzois shed water pretty quick- its bath weekend here- and only hottie do I blow out because of how dense his coat is- and long-..

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Originally Posted by borzoimom

Ahh- you may be totally right- my collies were like that. The borzois shed water pretty quick- its bath weekend here- and only hottie do I blow out because of how dense his coat is- and long-..

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so what can i do to make him dry quicker at home???